Easter Bunny Food Recipes

EASTER BUNNY CAKE

Steps:

• For the frosting: Combine the sugar, butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand-held electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium high and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk until the frosting is easy to spread.
• For the bunny: Spread a thin layer of frosting (about 2/3 cup) on the flat side of one cake layer and top with the flat side of the second cake layer. Measure 5 inches across the top of the cake and cut down through the layers, creating 2 layered pieces that are slightly different sizes.
• Place the larger piece of cake cut-side down on a large platter or cake board. If using a rectangular cake board, place the larger piece so that the long edges are parallel with the long edges of the board. This is the body of the bunny. Cut the smaller piece of cake in half crosswise, so you have 2 layered wedges. Place one wedge in front of the body, with one flat side on the board and the other flat side against the body. The curved side will be on top. Take a serrated knife and round off the sharp edges on top of the head. Cut the tip off (the nose) at a 45-degree angle. Reserve all scraps in a bowl.
• Separate the layers of the remaining wedge of cake. These will be the back legs. Round the sharp edges of the cake wedges with your knife and add to the scrap bowl. Place one piece on each side of the bunny, with one flat side down and the other flat side facing forward (the round side towards the back of the bunny), about 1 inch from the end of the bunny's body.
• Mix the cake scraps in the bowl with a fork until mashed and then pack into a ball with your hands. Place the ball behind the bunny's body and adhere with a dab of frosting. This is the bunny's tail.
• Frost the entire bunny, tail and all, using 2 to 3 cups of the frosting, keeping some definition with the bunny parts and frosting more generously around any sharp edges to give a rounded look to the bunny parts. Sprinkle the bunny with the coconut to fully cover. Gently pat to adhere.
• Insert the biscotti between the head and body, pressing into the cake to secure them. These are the ears. Place the base of the ears close together at the center of the head and angle them out. Frost the front of each biscotti with some frosting. Then, using the pink decorating icing, frost a smaller strip in the center of each biscotti, going down to where the ears meet the head but not going all the way to the top.
• To make the face, press a black jelly bean into each side of the head for the eyes. Cut one of the marshmallows into 3 circles, discard the middle piece and press the 2 end circles, cut-sides in, into the front of the face for the bunny cheeks. Push the white jelly bean halves into the face below the cheeks, round-sides out, for the teeth. Place the pink jelly bean above for the nose.
• Unroll the licorice wheel and cut 2 pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches long. For each piece, peel the strips apart halfway down and then cut each separated strip in half lengthwise so you end up with a piece looking a bit like a broom. Repeat with the second piece of licorice. Tuck each piece, with a dab of frosting, behind a marshmallow cheek, with the cut ends facing out for the whiskers.
• Cut the second marshmallow in half lengthwise. Make 3 slits in each half, going about halfway through (these are the toes), and place in front of the legs for the bunny's feet. Adhere the bottom of the feet with frosting if necessary.

EASTER BUNNY CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake mix according to directions on box for 2 round 9" layers.
• Tint 1/4 cup of the coconut pink (I'm guessing at the amount) for the center of ears and feet.
• Tint 2 tablespoons of the frosting brown for decorating face and feet ( or you can buy one of those prepared decorating icing tubes).
• When cake is cool, cut layers as shown in diagram (see other photo).
• Take 4 of the 8 outer ring pieces and frost the tops. Place 1 of the remaining 4 on top of each and frost top and sides. These will make the feet of the bunny.
• Place round-cut center piece next to the top edge of the square, keeping them both flat, to form body and head.
• Assemble the 4 side pieces in twos, flat sides together (you can use a little frosting to hold them together) to form the ears and arrange at the top of the head.
• Frost entire cake and attach the completed feet, 2 on each side of the body.
• Sprinkle coconut over entire cake and decorate with jelly beans/gumdrops for eyes, nose, etc. as desired, using pink-tinted coconut for center of ears and feet.
• Here's where you can really have fun and get creative! You can tie the ribbon in a bow and place on the cake as a bowtie, make buttons out of the candy, add a hat, etc.
• ** Tip for using frosting to decorate without a pastry bag: Spoon the frosting into one corner of a small plastic sandwich baggie, twist tightly and snip off the tip of the corner. Voila!
• Note: The finished cake is almost 2 feet long so be sure to have it on a large enough cookie sheet or platter!
• Servings vary on how you decide to divide up the body (er, bunny) parts -- .

EASTER BUNNY CENTERPIECE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, mix the sugar cookie dough with the cherry extract and 1/2 to 1 cup flour to make a very firm cookie dough. Roll out the dough to 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. It has to be very thick for the lollipop sticks to stay in once baked.
• Cut out bunny shapes and insert lollipop sticks. You should get about 8 cookies, depending on the size of your cutter. Bake according to package directions (they will probably need a little longer as they will be MUCH thicker). Cool completely.
• Decorate with icings. Let the icing dry overnight.
• Place the foam in your large tray or basket. Top with the wheat grass. Insert the bunny cookies into the grass and foam. Scatter some Easter eggs around the grass.

EASTER BUNNY EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Whisk warm milk, 1/4 cup flour, and yeast for dough together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit about 15 minutes to ensure yeast is active; small bubbles should start to rise to the surface. Add sugar, beaten egg, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, melted butter, and most of the remaining flour (you might not need it all). Mix with a dough hook attachment until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes slightly elastic, 5 or 6 minutes. Continue kneading until dough is soft and shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove dough from dough hook and shape into a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• Shape dough into a round ball. Transfer to lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a relatively warm, draft-free place until double in size, about 2 hours.
• Poke dough down a bit with your fingertips. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Work dough into a uniform piece and cut into eight 4-ounce pieces. Roll one piece with the flats your hands into a 12-inch rope; it's okay if one end is a little thicker than the other.
• Cut 2 inches off the smaller end and 3 inches off the larger end. Roll the 2-inch piece into a ball for the tail. Roll the ends of the 3-inch piece into points, then flatten one end slightly for the face. Roll the remaining piece into a 12-inch rope, about 1/2 inch wide.
• Transfer the rope to a Silpat®-lined baking sheet and make a coil for the body. The end of the coil will be the bunny's front legs and paws, so place the head on top of that, touching the body, with the flatter side facing the same way as the paws.
• Cut the back side of the head (the pointy side) about 2/3 of the way in towards the face to make 2 ears. Make depressions in the middle of each ear with a bench scraper or the back of a knife; do not cut all the way through. Set the tail in place, touching the back of the body.
• Repeat to form remaining bunnies; you will use 2 lined baking sheets for 8 bunnies. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proof in a warm spot for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Beat egg and water together for egg wash.
• Remove plastic wrap from the baking sheets and brush dough with egg wash. Poke small holes in the faces for eyes, then push raisins in the holes. Redefine the ears by pressing again with a bench scraper or knife.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Cut into the center of the ears again to redefine them. Brush bunnies with simple syrup and sprinkle coconut onto the tails.

JELL-O® EASTER BUNNY

Steps:

• Add boiling water to gelatin in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour into 2 (8-inch) round cake pans.
• Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.
• Unmold onto large tray or board. Cut out ears and bow tie from one of the gelatin layers. Arrange around remaining gelatin layer on tray to resemble bunny. Decorate with COOL WHIP and fruit.